Digimon Adventures 02:: A Dark Storm Cometh
by Ember Ice
Summary: Sora’s got a cousin in America, no big. Until she comes to Tokyo to visit for the summer, and strange things start happening, not to mention, she starts to Ruin Sora’s Life.
1. Lucky Number 13

Digimon Adventures 02

A Dark Storm Cometh

About: Sora's got a cousin in America, no big. Until she comes to Tokyo to visit for the summer, and strange things start happening, not to mention, she starts to Ruin Sora's Life.

Disclaimer: I Do Not own Digimon or Any Affiliations, All I own will become know, for it is very little.

Chapter 1

Lucky number 13

TOKYO

June 29th

9:35 am. Takenouchi Residence

USA date/time notation:

June 30th 7: 50 pm New York City

Sora Takenouchi rolled slowly from her warm, soft mattress to land heavily on her bedroom floor. Half awake, she stumbled over to her desktop computer and hit the 'Power' buttons on the monitor and Tower, watching the black screen as the computer woke up faster than she did herself. She turned to gaze into her Vanity mirror and had to laugh at what she saw. Her hair was an absolute mess, locks sticking up here and there, it resembles a bird's nest. She reached for her hairbrush, but dropped it suddenly when a peppy voice came from her computer speakers, crying, "Hi Sora!" She had obviously missed the blue desktops screen, and the computer going into her own screen, as well as her Video IM opening up.

"Rhane!" she scolded the girl, adjusting her web cam to capture her image better, and to allow her to fix her hair. "Its 9:30 in the morning! I shouldn't even be MOVING yet!" That drew a giggle from her cousin, who began speaking in slightly-clumsy Japanese.

"It's almost 8:00 pm here" Sora had forgotten the time-difference, "By my watch, you should be pumped and ready to motor by now." The girl giggled, "And I told you, everyone calls me _Erry_ not Rhane."

"I Like Rhane better" Sora told her, "and it is your first name."

"I guess" Rhane sighed, she still loved her middle name, 'Erryann.'

"So what's with the early morning 911?" Sora asked, referring to the odd hour of their discussion.

"Two more days!" The girl squealed. Sora looked at her cousin's happy face, and saw some changes she had never noticed before.

"What happened to your eyes? They're like, grey" Sora said, puzzled, "And did you change your hair?"

Rhane nodded, "My eyes change between blue and grey, sometimes kinda green. And I got highlights, a summer is never complete without highlights" she said knowingly.

Sora noted that her hair was indeed highlighted, it's usually glossy mocha sheen was made more brilliant with the additions of caramel and bronze. "It looks… good" Sora told her after a moment.

"Whops" Rhane said, pulling her face from the web cam for a moment. "Suppers ready, and Mimi is here, I'll let her talk to you, bye" Rhane's face was replaced by that of a Straw-berry blonde's.

"Sora!" greeted the girl.

"Mimi" Sora said with as much enthusiasm, "How have you been?"

"Great" Smiled the other girl, "are you looking forward to tomorrow?"

"What's tomorrow?" Sora asked in confusion.

"Tomorrow at 3:00 Tokyo time, Rhane and I are set to land" Mimi told her, scolding, "Don't tell me you forgot!"

"About the date change, yeah!" Sora said, a quick look of horror flashed across her face, "Nothing is ready… Not the rooms, not Kari and TK's crew…"

"What do they have to do?" Mimi asked.

"Hide Gatomon, Palamon, Veemon, Wormmon, Hawkmon and Armadillomon" Sora told her with a sigh.

"Why…" Mimi began, before she nodded in realization, "Rhane's never seen… one of them, has she? I didn't let her see Palamon, poor girl" Mimi's face brightened, "Well, good luck! See you soon!"

"But-!" Sora tried, before she realized it was too late. Mimi had signed off. "MOM!" Sora called, racing from her room, "Rhane and Mimi are coming TOMORROW!"

"I know" Said her mother stepping calmly from the Kitchen, "Their rooms are all made up, the cupboards are stocked, and your father and I are ready to settle in to a summer living with three teenage girls" Her mother chuckled.

"Thanks" Sora said, calming down a bit, "where's the phone?" Her mother handed it to her and Sora punched in the Kamiya's number.

"Kamiya residence, Tai speaking" said a voice from the other end of the line.

"Tai?" Sora said, "It's Sora."

"Oh, Hi!" Tai brightened.

"Can you get Kari? It's an emergency" Sora said desperately.

"Oh, ok." She heard him said, then she heard his muffled call of, 'Kari!' and assumed he'd covered the receiver with his hand. "Hey, Sora?"

"Yeah Tai?" she asked.

"Do you want to… have lunch later?" He asked, slightly embarrassed.

"Sure, I'll call –Oh!" She said, realizing what he'd meant, "I'd love to" She said kindly.

"Hello?" Came Kari's voice weakly over the line.

"I'll come by at one" Tai said before he hung up.

"Kari, its Sora" She said.

"Did Tai just ask you out?" Kari accused.

Sora ignored the question, "Rhane and Mimi will be here tomorrow, can you get the digimon out of sight by then?"

"He did!" Kari laughed, "But yeah, it shouldn't be much of a problem." She informed Sora solemnly. "Oops, someone's on the other line"

"I should go anyhow, bye Kari" Sora said, drawing the phone from her ear.

"Have fun this afternoon!" Kari cheered her, before she switched to the other line, "Hello?"

USA

June 30h,

11:00 am NYC Airport

Tokyo date/time notation:

July 30th 1:17 am

"Now Rhane" Instructed the girls blonde mother, "Be you for you aunt, and don't cause any problems, Stick with Sora and Mimi."

"And look both ways before I cross the street, don't talk to strangers and don't follow the trail of bread-crumbs to the gingerbread witches house. I got it!" Rhane teased her parents.

"We'll transfer more money to your account in a few weeks, don't make them pay for everything" Her father said, "Have a good trip" and he kissed her forehead.

"Bye" She said, hugging both her parents.

"Calm down, I'll take care of her" Mimi assured Rhane's parents, "now come Rhane, we've got a long trip and a fun summer ahead of us" She pulled the younger girl to the security gates and pushed her through the metal detector first, placing their carry-on's on the belt as she walked trough herself, unscathed.

"now let's get comfortable, the plane wont be here for a while" Mimi lead the younger girl to a row of padded benches, and stretched out over one, prompting Rhane to do the same across from her.

Rhane realised she must have dozed off, because the next thing she knew, a loud-speaker was calling. "First call for flight TA396, to Tokyo Japan, please board now." Rhane sat bolt upright and smother her denim skirt, before going over to wake Mimi.

"Mimi" Rhane called gently, "Mimi" she shook the girl gently, "There's a 75 off sale…" she had to jump out of the way quickly to avoided bashing skulls with her friend. "C'mon, were boarding!"

"That was a cruel joke" Mimi huffed, "Wait for the second call, we're not going very far, so we'll let all the poor people flying economy-class on first."

Rhane smiled in delight, she'd almost forgotten that they were flying first class. Almost.

Tokyo

July 1st

2:30 pm Park

"Hey, isn't Mimi coming today?" Matt, a tall, good-looking boy with dirty-blonde hair to his shoulders, asked.

"Your cousin Rhane, too, Right Sora?" Tai asked, his brown hair spiked as usual.

"Oh no!" Sora cried, glancing at her watch, "They're supposed to land in less than a half-hour, and I'M supposed to meet Rhane at the airport!" Sora's actions became frantic as she rushed to collect her belongings and herself, then dash to the airport.

"Sora, I'll come with you" Offered Tai.

"Me too I guess" said Matt, standing up, "C'mon, I'll get us a ride."

"Oh, ok..." said Sora, blushing.

"Here, let me get that" Tai said, helping to pack the picnic basket they had brought lunch in.

"Hurry up you two! I've got a cab waiting!" Matt called. Tai and Sora shared looks of surprise at how fast the cab had arrived.

"Get in" Matt had opened the door. Tai climbed in first, then Sora, finally Matt climbed into the front seat with the driver.

"Where to?" asked the driver.

"The airport please" Said Sora, buckling her seatbelt.

"You got it Miss" Said the cabbie kindly, as he merged with traffic and headed towards the airport.

"Can we go any faster?" Asked Tai, "We're meeting a plane at three"

"I'll do my best" Said the cabbie, pressing a bit harder on the gas pedal.

Fifteen minutes later, they pulled up at the front doors of the Airport.

"With ten minutes to spare" Tai smiled as though it was his doing.

"Lets just go in and meet them" Matt said, rolling his eyes, after paying the driver the requested sum, with tip.

When they entered the airport, they headed over to the luggage pick-up station, and Tai glanced at a TV monitor dictating the flight arrivals and departures.

"They're here" He said, without much indication as to him meaning.

"WHAT!" cried Sora, "But… they shouldn't be here for another seven minutes!"

"They got in about five minutes ago" Said Matt studying the monitor, "So they're probably just getting off the plane, and haven't come down yet, but they should be here in about…"

"Three… Two…" Counted Tai, "One… Now."

"SORA!" cried a slightly high-pitched voice, "TAI! MATT!"

"Mimi!" the three cried in unison.

"Rhane!" Sora called alone, seeing the girl. Rhane was probably 5'4", without heels. Her mocha hair was cut about 2 inches below her shoulders and was in layers. It was thick, and suited her appearance perfectly. She was wearing a black off-the-shoulder tee shirt and a blue denim miniskirt with pleats that started about ½ to ¾ of the way down it. One her feet were a pair of stylish and strappy black heels.

"Sora!" Called the girl as she jogged over, only to throw her arms around her elder cousin. "It's SO good to finally see you!"

"You too!" Sora said enthusiastically, hugging back. Pulling away from the embrace, she introduced Rhane to her friends.

"These are Tai and Matt, two of my close friends. Tai's the one with brown hair – he's the soccer player and sort of leader of out little 'posse'. Matt's the taller one with the dirty blonde hair, he's got his own band." Sora smiled proudly at her friends.

"Nice to meet you" Rhane said politely.

"Here are our bags!" Mimi called pulling two suitcases from the belt and pointing to three more.

"I'll get them" offered Matt.

"Thanks" Rhane blushed.

"Let me help" Tai said gruffly, reaching for the largest of the three suitcases.

"Ok" said Matt, stepping back, letting Tai take the heaviest.

"Oh! There's a Taxi Van out there, lemmie go grab it" Rhane said, heading for the doors ahead of the other groups in the building, so as to claim the cab as their own.

"Will you two be alright?" Sora asked the boys as she followed Rhane.

"They're boys, let them handle it" Mimi giggled, heading past Sora, her suitcases in hand.

"If you say so" Sora said dismissively, following Mimi.

By the time Matt and Tai arrived, Rhane, Sora and Mimi were already seated comfortably in the back of the Taxi. The boys placed the luggage in the trunk and climbed into the middle seats. Quickly, Sora gave the address of her house and they speed off in that direction.

"Wow!" breathed Rhane, admiring the house, "this is so beautiful!" Suddenly, a frantic beeping began. "Huh?" asked Rhane, "What's that?" Sora and Mimi shared knowing looks.

"Um… It's my Cell phone, battery's dead, gotta charge it! Hey look, this is going to be your room, why don't you check it out and unpack? You've even got your own bathroom" Sora chattered as she pushed her cousin into the room and closed the door, blocking it from the outside.

"Mimi!" She hissed, "In the kitchen."

"It's going off" Mimi informed her, "My Digivice."

"So is mine. Something's up in the Digital world" Sora said, "Kari and TK are there now."  
"And Yolie, Cody, Davis and Ken?" Asked Mimi, naming the four newest digidestined.

Sora nodded in reply. "We need to wait for them to get back before we can do anything." She hung her head sadly.

The two kept talking for a few minutes, until the lights in the house began to flicker, before complete extinguishing, and returning after a blinding violate flash.

"Ahh!" came a shriek from Rhane's room.

"Oh no!" cried Sora racing up the stairs to the room and unblocking the door, "Rhane! Rhane, what is it!" She asked, frantically yanking the door open.

Solemnly, Rhane held up her right hand, to display a black-and purple digivice, modeled after the D-3's.

"Oh no" Mimi breathed from behind Sora.

"Rhane, you'd better come with us" Sora hung her head as she led the group to the front door.

"We're going there?" Mimi asked, meaning the School, where they could access the Digi-port.

"Where?" Rhane wanted to know. She'd been in Tokyo for less than two hours and already she was getting dragged all over the place.

"The school" Mimi said, "Where I use to go. All our friends are there and we want you to meet them" she lied casually.

"Whatever" Rhane said, allowing herself to be dragged.

"Tai? Izzy? Matt? Joe?" Sora called as she entered the computer lab, Rhane in tow. All four heads popped up.

"Rhane, Izzy, Izzy, Rhane. Izzy's the one at the computer" Sora pointed.

"Hi Izzy, and now, you must be Joe" Rhane turned to the other boy,

"Yup" he smiled.

"What so interesting about that computer?" Rhane asked, for they were all crowded around one computer.

"N… nothing" Tai stammered.

"Its OK Tai. Rhane, show him what you showed me and Mimi" Sora instructed.

"You mean this?" Rhane dug in her purse and produced the D-3.

"Whoa!" cried Matt, "Wicked colours!".

"What's happening?" Sora asked, "Did they find anything?"

"Yeah. Yolie was just telling us they found three new eggs" Izzy said.

"So… are their three new children?" Asked Mimi.

"No" replied Izzy, "That's the strange thing. Each had a beam of light, one's black, one's teal and one is pink, and all three aim at this one, large, spot. Something is in there, but they don't know what. Everyone tired getting to the eggs, but when Ken tried, a purple light shot out" Izzy told them, "And I guess, it went to her" he nodded to Rhane.

"Now Rhane, I need you to try something, but you cant laugh" Sora instructed her calmly, "Go up the computer screen and hold the device up, then say 'Digi-port, OPEN" and keep your arm extended until you see something other than the computer screen."

"That's hill-" Rhane started, but she saw everyone's serious faces. "I swear, I'll kill someone if your trying to punk me" She said, before obliging, "DIGI-PORT OPEN!" She held the D-3 in her right hand, and pointed it at the computer screen. A moment later, she was being pulled through a multicolored space, and felt like she was being re-arranged. When she set foot on solid ground again, she was in a cave, and her shoulders felt surprisingly bare.

"Hot outfit" came Matt's voice from behind her. Looking Down, Rhane saw she was indeed dresses differently. She wore a cream coloured tube top with an A-line bottom, the right side ending just below her chest, and the left stopping below her hip. Rather then the skirt she had been wearing, brown Capri pants now adorned her legs, clinging gently. One her feet were a pair of ½ calf, heeled brown boots with a large, stylish cuff.

"Wow!" said Tai, as he appeared behind Matt.

"Ooh! Er - Rhane, that is so cute!" Mimi squealed as she came up and hugged her friend, correcting herself from using the girl's nick-name. The rest of the group gave comments of approval.

"Tai? Matt?" came another feminine voice from inside the cave, "Is that you?" suddenly two people, a girl with short brown hair, and a boy with dirty blonde locks appeared.

"Who's She?" asked the boy.

"Eek!" Rhane shrieked, seeing two creatures with them, one was a white cat on it's hind legs with purple stripes and tuffs on it's ears and tail, the second looked a little like a flying pig, and was orange with a cream coloured belly, and Wings for ears. "What are those things?"

"Their Digimon" said the girl patiently, "This is Gatomon" She indicated the cat.

"And this is Patamon" Said the boy. "I'm TK, this is Kari."

"Rhane" she told them. "Matt… Tai… I'm scared" she said meekly, standing behind them.

"It's ok Rhane" comforted Tai, "Their nice, well, most of them are. That's why you're here."

"Remember that device you showed us?" Said Matt gently, "It's called a digivice. It helps these guys digivolve – transform, to get bigger and stronger, so they can help protect you and keep this place safe. TK, Kari and their friends found three new digi-eggs – transformation tools, and they think they found your partner."

"C'mon" Urged Sora, "let's see who – or what – she is" she led Rhane deeper into the cave to where four more kids and ten creatures were.

"Who's she?" asked a green creature with a flower on her head, "and wheres… Mimi!" she raced to hug the girl.

"Palamon!" cried Mimi, rushing to return the embrace.

"This is Biyomon, my partner" Sora introduced a small pink and blue bird

"Hi there" Said Biyomon kindly, "you must be Rhane, Sora's told us ALL about you."

"Um… hi?" Rhane said, timidly.

"So you're Rhane?" Came a loud voice, Rhane turned to see a younger version of Tai with shorter, spiky hair, "I'm Davis, nice to meet you!" he said enthusiastically, shaking her hand.

"I'm Yolie, and this is Hawkmon" Introduced a purple-haired girl.

"I'm Cody, its nice to make your acquaintance" said a small boy politely, "This is my partner, Armadillomon."

"Hi there" Said the last boy, "I'm Ken, and this is my friend, Wormmon."

"And I'm Davis's partner, Veemon!" said a blue, dinosaur-reptile like creature.

"Rhane, these are our partners" Said Matt, "This is Gaubumon, The dinosaur with Tai is Augumon, the beetle-like guy with Izzy it Tentomon."

"Hello" buzzed a red-and-green beetle.

"And I'm Gomamon" said a small white-and-purple creature, which didn't resemble anything in Rhane's memory.

"Here Rhane" The girl named Kari took her hand and lead her to a pedestal with three objects, omitting light on them, "try and pick these up."

Rhane reached for the First. It was grey and teal, in a rough cone shape, with a silver symbol that looked like '( -' turned on the flat side. She lifted it with ease and it began to glow.

"Here" said Matt, "I'll hold it for you." She gave it to him, and he nearly dropped it. "Maybe we should jut put it on the ground" he said, "I wont be able to hold it."

Shrugging, Rhane turned to the next object. This one shone silver and was shaped like a flat-bottomed rain drop, and had a spiraled horn sticking from it. Its symbol. resembled a six-point star. She lifted this one with ease as well, and placed it by her feet.

Suddenly, Gatomon began to hiss, "What is it?" Kari asked in concern.

"I don't like this" Gatomon shuddered, "I don't like this one bit."

Rhane continued towards the final egg. This one was pure black, slightly resembling a paw. There was a silver spiral etched into it. When Rhane lifted it too, the ball where the three lights had intersected vanished, and a black cat jumped out, launching itself towards Rhane.

"Look out!" cried Kari, concerned.


	2. Problems Aries

Disclaimer: I don't repeated, I just don't own

Chapter 2

Problems Arise

"Took you long enough!" Muttered the cat, who's paws were slung over Rhane's shoulders was dangling on the girls back. "I've been waiting there forever!"

"And, who are you?" Rhane asked pompously.

"I'm BlackGatomon, some people call me Talimon" Said the cat, who then swung o stand in front of Rhane. Rhane and Kari both studied her. She was a black mirror to Kari's Gatomon, who stood hissing. Her tail-ring was silver, and her claw gloves were blue with red, rather than yellow and Orange. And the tuffs and bands on her fur were a violate shade, rather than purple.

"Traitor!" cried Gatomon, streaking towards Talimon, "Lightning Claw!" She raced to punch Talimon.

"Lightning Kick!" countered Talimon, lashing out with incredible speed to kick Gatmon back into Kari's Legs.

"I'm Fine" said the white feline, "I'd be better if SHE wasn't here though" She shook her tail in Talimon's direction.

"Its not like I ASKED for you to be here!" The black cat shot back.

"Girls, girls!" chided Rhane, "Calm down, its not like you'll see each other much."

"Yes, they will" Said Tai solemnly, "Now you're responsible for what happens here. If three more Digi-Eggs appeared, there must be trouble."

"But what do I have to do with this?" Rhane asked, confused.

"Everything. You were chosen to be one of us" Sora said quietly. "Now, lets go home and try to get some things sorted out" Rhane nodded dumbly and allowed Matt to lead her from the cave, oblivious to Sora's jealous glare.

"Can you help me Matt?" Rhane asked, "I'm so confused, and I'm scared."

"I'll help you all I can" Matt told her, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "All I can."

"You Ok Sora?" Tai asked from ahead of them.

"Just fine" Sora told him sounding the exact opposite, as she stepped up to the television and held out her Digivice. Tai and Mimi followed her, then the rest of the Digi-destined, finally, only Matt and Rhane were left, with Gaubumon and Talimon.

"Hey" said Matt, "You want to meet me for dinner tonight? I'll give you a tour of the city, and maybe help you with this digi-destined thing" he gave her a warm smile.

"I'd like that" Rhane told him, blushing.

"Great, how about I swing by around seven?" He said with a smile.

"That would be great" She blushed, "Now how do I get out of here?"

"Hold your D-3 up to the TV and let I pull you through" He told her, "You go first."

"Here it goes" Rhane took a deep breath and followed his instructions, moments later; she reappeared in the real world, in the school computer lab. "Rough ride?" she asked, smiling at the pile of teens strewn on the floor, limbs jumbled, whom she had landed gracefully upon. Rhane stood up hurriedly, not wanting Matt to fall on top of her.

After gracelessly untangling their bodies from one another, the Digi-Destined headed their separate ways.

"What took you so long coming back?" Mimi asked curiously, "Did you get lost?"

"In Matt's eyes" Sora said under her breath.

"For your information Sora" she practically spat the name, "_NO_. Matt and I were just talking. He invited me to dinner tonight and then to show me the town" Rhane smiled smugly.

"I can show you around" Sora informed her.

"But Matt offered, and it would be _so_ rude to refuse" Rhane gave a girlish giggle and batted her eyelashes sweetly.

"When's he coming around?" Mimi asked her.

"He said around seven" was Rhane's reply.

"Well, it's 5:30 now" Mimi informed her, "And there's Sora's place" She pointed at the house with a warm glow emitting.

"Good" Rhane heaved a sigh of relief, "I'm going to need all the time I can to get ready for tonight… I need a shower REALLY badly" She rushed ahead of the two girls and opened the door to the house, greeting her aunt as she headed for the shower in her room.

After washing, drying and straitening her hair, Rhane went to her recently-unpacked suitcase and shoved it under her bed, then headed for the closet where her clothes were hung up, to figure and outfit for that night. Her final decision was a high-necked halter that tied with a bead choker 'round her neck, and was tight, ending just above her navel, and gathered slightly just below her chest. With it, she chose a thin, khaki-material pleated mini skirt in a dark shade of cream, and a pair of brown lace-up high heels. Her finishing touches were her makeup, which included a sugar-cream and a dark bronze eye shadow duo, brown eyeliner, brown-black mascara and a pink gloss for her lips. With her last ten minutes before Matt was set to arrive, Rhane painted two clear coats on her nails, to give them a 'perfect' finish.

When the bell rang, Rhane jumped in surprise, disturbing Talimon's nap. "Coming" She called as she rushed to the door, fixing her hair roughly as she was in motion. "Hi" She called, slightly breathless, opening the door for Matt.

"You look…" he struggled to find the words, "amazing" was his final choice.

"Thanks" She giggled and blushed, "Should we get going?" When he nodded his agreement, she turned and called into the house, "Goodbye! I'll be back late!" and followed Matt to the street. "Where are we going?" she asked, walking beside him.

"One of my favorite places" He gave her a sly smile. A quarter of an hour later, they turned up outside a cute, candle lit restaurant.

"Welcome, to 'The Rose'" said a gentleman at the door, "Do you have reservations?"

Matt nodded, "Ishida, for two." Rhane blushed. Thinking, Rhane determined that had the man been speaking English, his accent would have been slightly French.

"It's so adorable!" Rhane admired aloud, regarding the dark red plush atmosphere with reverence. She noted each table had a single candle to light it and an assortment of roses in a vase. The host lead them to a shadowed booth closer to the back, where it was much more private.

"If I'd known you were taking me somewhere so fancy, I would have dressed up" she informed him in a sweet mannerism. "I thought dinner was just going to be quick bite to eat… a stroll around central Tokyo…"

"I wanted to surprise you" Matt told her.

"I'm surprised, very surprised" She sighed, placed her elbows on the table, linked her fingers and then rested her chin upon them. "So" She said, "Who is this 'Matt Ishida' I spend so much time with?" she inquired.

"No one special" He told her nonchalantly, "I'm in high school, same year as Sora, I'm lead singer and guitarist in my band, 'Teenage Wolves'" He took a breath as Rhane's eyes lit up with interest. "Um… I've got a younger brother, but you've already met him," To Rhane's quizzical look, he informed her, "TK. There's not much else… I live with my dad, TK's with our mom… And Gaubumon and I have been partners for over three years, since the first group of us were sent to the Digital World."

"Wow… That's amazing" Rhane breathed, then remembered something, "Matt, is there something between you and Sora?" she asked cautiously.

"No, why?" He blinked his liars sign.

"Because she's my cousin, and all this… It seems really to special. I cant do anything to Sora, were blood" Rhane said, letting her head sink, "She looked so mad when I said you were showing me the town, that and jealous."

"Sora and I use to be together, but I couldn't live with the guilt. Tai is my best friend, and he'd do anything for her. Stop water, catch the moon… I couldn't ruin by best friends life, not over a girl" he sighed, "We broke up about three months ago, she must still be sore over it. I'm sorry if this is uncomfortable Rhane, I can take you back home if you want, for get this whole thing ever happened."

"No" Rhane assured him, "Sora will have to learn to live with it, and I'm having a good time."

Matt was about to reply when the waiter arrived. Matt ordered a steak dinner with a coke, and Rhane had a chicken Caesar salad, a glass of diet coke and one of water.

"But, tell me about yourself" Matt prompted her.

"Me? I'm just your average New Yorker" Rhane winked, "I eat, drink and breath pollution on a day to day basis in the heart of Shopping America. I met Mimi two years ago, just after she moved. We bumped into each other shopping." Rhane giggled, "I've had a fairly normal life. Mom is a corporate lawyer; daddy's a surgeon, so money was never a problem. It's just Mom, Daddy and Me, and now Talimon I guess." She smiled at him as there food arrived, and thanked the waiter.

"It looks so good!" She said in near amazement.

"It tastes even better" Matt teased her as they both tucked in to eat.

After supper, Matt took Rhane for a stroll around town, stopping at a quaint ice cream parlor for desert, where they both got ice cream cones and then continued their tour. Matt was pointing out bits and pieces of his home town, while Rhane walked with him in a daze.

"Lets sit" Matt offered as they came to a park lit by soft, romantic bulbs.

Rhane obliged and sat as indicated beside him. "It's all so beautiful" She breathed for the hundredth time that day. "The lights, the scenes…"

"You?" Matt offered and Rhane blushed. "Sorry" he apologized, "Its not…"

"Don't be sorry" Rhane said, putting a hand gently on his arm. "Please don't be sorry."

They sat in silence a few moments, before Rhane grew uncomfortable. "So those things I picked up today."

"The Digi-Eggs?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, them" she waved off the name, "What do they do?"

"Well, they aren't used much now, but they help your digimon digivolve and become more powerful. TK and the others used them when Ken, the Digimon emperor, tried to control the land and used his Dark Towers to prohibit digivolution through normal means. It was the only way they could get more power and fight." Matt explained patiently, "Each egg has a different crest on it, and each crest is compatible with each digimon partner. But the crests are from about four years ago, when Tai, Sora, Mimi, Joe, Izzy, TK and myself first went to the digital world. We used the crests for our partners to digivolve to their ultimate level. Then Kari found her crest, and became the eighth child. And last September, when Davis, Cody and Yolie went, they each got two Digi-Eggs, each representing a different crest."  
"But that means there were still two crests. And what about Ken? You said he was like, the bad guy?" Rhane looks stricken.

"Yeah. TK and Kari only got one Digi-Egg each, but they kept their old crests." Matt started before he was interrupted again.

"What were the crests?" Rhane wanted to know.

"I had Friendship. Tai's was Courage, Mimi got Sincerity and Sora received Love. Then Izzy got knowledge and Joe found Reliability. TK's is hope and Kari's is light. Ken was a digidestined, but he followed a dark path for a time, eventually, the new crew convinced him to fight the good fight and he switched sides. Then, he found the Digi-Egg of Kindness."

"What Digi-Eggs did the others find?" Rhane pressed.

"Davis found Courage, then Friendship. Yolie got Love and Sincerity and Cody" Matt was cut off.

"Has Knowledge and Reliability?" Rhane offered.

"Right" Matt smiled and slung an arm around her shoulders, causing the blush gracing her cheeks to deepen. "But you… I've never seen your crests before."

Rhane leaned her head on his shoulder, half-aware of her actions. "Will you help me?" She wanted to know, "help me figure out what they are and how to use them?'

"Yeah," Matt told her gently, wrapping his other arm around her in a gentle embrace, "I will."

Although Rhane felt her face flush with joy at his touch, at his kindness, she knew she must pull away, but though she hated the thought, she knew it bled truth. "Now!" She insisted, pulling away abruptly, "Why not now?"

"'Why not now' what?" Matt asked.

"Lets go there – to the Digital world!" Rhane was nearly bouncing for joy, "We can look around, see what we can figure. Maybe discover what the symbols on the eggs are!" the excitement was livid in her voice.

"What about Talimon? Shouldn't we go back and get her? You cant go around the digital world unprotected, and to figure out the eggs we may need her." Matt asked, the, sorrowfully, he mused, "But going back would cause questions to arise, And Sora would want to come. And I don't want that" His eyes were downcast.

"Don't want Sora to come? Why ever not?" Rhane teased, longing to hear the words from his own lips, the words that had been teasing her in silence all night.

"Because, this is our night" Rhane's ace fell at his words. " How should I put this?" he thought aloud, "I'm… like a kid who doesn't want to share his favorite toy. I want to have you to myself – at least for tonight." Rhane's face flared. Maybe he was a romantic after all.

"The… that's so sweet!" Rhane cooed, lost in her own fantasy world.

"But what's it matter?" Matt heaved a sigh. "Were stuck here, in real time, and a real place, unless we want to be disturbed in the Digital world by either your cousin, or by Mimi .I'll have to show you some other time." Matt allowed his head to fall to his chest.

"But that's the glory of it" Rhane smiled, "We don't have to go back there" she lifted up her large purse. "Because we have a stow-away" She smiled mischievously as she placed the bag on the bench between them. "Talimon, I know your in there" She warned as she opened the bag, revealing a very grumpy black-and-purple cat.

"It's stuffy in there" complained the feline, climbing out.

"Hello to you too" Said Matt, stretching out over the bench, "You've got your D-3?"

"Right here" Rhane pulled it from her bag.

"Than what are we waiting for?" Matt offered her a hand up, which she accepted gratefully, stumbling purposefully into his chest as she stood. "Lets go." He took her hand and led her towards the school.

To Rhane's disappointment, it only took ten minutes to reach the school. And to deepen her sorrow, there was a light shining from the computer room.

"Darn" Matt said, under his breath, "They must be here."

"Oh well" Rhane tried to cheer him up, "We'll just avoid them" she put a smile on her face though her heart was falling. She was looking forward to a nice, quiet visit to the digital world, not one which was to be interrupted by a group of children, chosen or not.

"Are you sure?" Matt questioned, suddenly uneasy, "I mean, maybe we should come back some other time…" he trailed of.

"They're probably just trying to figure out what the 'latest' evil is" she mocked. "We'll be fine, lets go." Turning to the screen, she held her D-3 high and cried, "DIGI-PORT, OPEN!" and she allowed herself to be digitized through it. Moments after she had arrived, she heard Matt come through behind her.

"I knew you wouldn't leave me to fend for my self" Rhane teased, "Lets go explore" She smiled, happy as a kid in a candy store, and bolted in one direction, forcing Matt to follow her.

"Wait up Rhane!" called Matt, stumbling into a clearing, and nearly into the very girl he chased. "What's wrong?" he could she that she was shaking from head to toe, rooted to the spot. He looked up from behind her and saw devastation. The younger group of Digidestines stood, faces set hard, as they cheered their partners on. Their partners, their friends… They looked ragged and worn, and there were only three.

"What happened to the others?" Rhane asked Matt.

"Huh?" he said, startled, "others?"

"There are only three digimon, three are missing" She told him, matter-of-factly.

"No" Matt shook his head, "They're all there."

"What do you take me for? Blind?" Rhane wants to know.

"They DNA digivolved, they merged. It's a powerful transformation." He tells her, remembering that this is the first time she's heard many of these tales.

"I… I want to help them" She says quietly. "I don't like just standing here. But I'm useless" Tears are falling from her eyes, "I can't do anything."

"Yes you can. You've got Talimon" She can feel him smile behind her as he rests his hands comfortingly on her shoulders.

"Well?" Comes a voice from below Rhane's shoulder, startling her, "Are we going to do this or not?"

Rhane nods confidently, than blushes. "What do I do?"

"The eggs" Talimon says, "Get the one that was like a cone, and teal." She seemed to be in a trance

Rhane nodded her understanding and flipped through her D-Terminal. "Got it"

"Now" instructs an alien voice, "feel your hurt, your rage and your sorrow."

Rhane looked around and saw a cat-woman digimon, like an Egyptian picture.

"Who are you?" She wanted to know

"I am Bastemon" says the being. "I am to be your guide to these trials. To help your friends you must activate the egg" she fades into the background, but Rhane can still feel her presence.

She feels it, all the sorrow she has over being unable to help, the rage she feels towards her cousin and the hurt of a pining heart

"To activate the digivolution, you must command it with, 'Digi Armor Energize'" came Bastemon's voice

"DIGI ARMOR ENERGIZE!" Rhane calls with all the emotions coursing through her veins.

"Talimon, Armor Digivolve to…" Comes the voce she knows as she is enveloped in silver light, "Gryphmon!" comes a rumbling female voice, "Midnight's Storm!"

Where Talimon had stood was now a larger creature who's front was that of an eagle, and whose back resembled a lion. She was a Gryphon, a marvelous, dark grey gryphon with thick black and silver armor.

"Who is that?" She asks apprehensively, pointing at the creature they are about to battle

"I AM CelestScorpiomon!" roared the beast, "A star bound scorpion with an iron will. My Star Stinger attack has a tendency to knock my opponents out" his voice is comanding, but Rhane pays no attention. By now the other chosen children have turned to stare at her.

"And Im Rhane" She said, "Prepare to meet your maker" her last words came out as a hiss "Gryphmon! Go!" she commanded, as though she was a veterane, not a first-timer. She prayed the monster would not see her through her façade.

"TEMPEST STRIKER!" cried her partner, honing in for the attack, as she struck the creature head on, sending it careening backwards. "TYPHOONS FLAME!" she attacked, thistime with wings ablaze, she slashed CelestScorpiomon acrose his boastful body, setting part of him ablaze.

"Care to let us in on the fun?" came two voices from one humaniode creature

"Be my guest" growled Gryphmon

"STATIC FORCE!" Attacks Silphymon.

"Star veil" the words come in a hused whisper, but are imensly powerful, for, before the static attack reaches him, CelestScorpiomon had vanished.

"ok, weird much?" Rhane said with a sigh, "what was that all about?'

"Thanks for your help Rhane" Kari said with slight frost in her voice, "Im sure we could have hanndeled it

"Didn't seem to be going to well when I came in" Rhane retorted rudely

"Kari!" demanded Davis, "Whats wrong with you? Rhane as a really big help!" turnog to Rhane, he said, "Thanks so much! You should come in with us some time"

"Whatever" Rhane's eyes were slits and she glared at Kari. "Gryphmon? Matt? Lets bounce" Rhane walked deeper into the forest, away from everyone, in need of seclusion.

"Are you ok Rhane?" Matt asked gently

"Im fine" She hissed, but her voice was breaking, "Just fine" her last words came out a sobb and she sunk to her knees, tears falling from her face

"Don't cry" chidied Talimon, "You'll make your mascara run"

"Where did you hear about Mascara?" Rhane giggled at the though

"Mimi" was the digimon's simplistic reply.

"That would make sence." Said Matt, sinking beside Rhane and wraping his arms around her comfortingly, "Its ok to cry Rhane, never foret that. Cry all you pain out, help it mend your heart" he soothed her, letting her dampen his shirt with her tears.

"All I wanted to do was help" Rahe sobbed, "why was she so cold?" she refered to the usualy kind Kari, the one who had been concerned for her when Talimon lept from the black light.

"we'll find out, but first, why don't we try to find that other Digimon, what was her name? Bastemon?" Matt asked, Rhane nodded in reply and stood beside him.

"I can feel her" Talimon said, "She just ahead of us!"

With those words, the group rushed forward into the unknown untill they reached a shadowed clearing, decorated with a mystic's tent.

"That must be her's" Said Matt, eyeing the gold coin hangings.

"Lets go" Rhane had dried her tars and walked boldly forward.

"Welcom young ones" a voice shifted through the trees, "Come in" it was mysterious, and as the Digi destined approached the tent, they were choked with havily inenced air.

"Bastemon?" Rhane called, sudenly nervous

"I am here" the digimon emerged from the shadowed door way, face veil fluttering in the soft summer breeze. Now that Rhane got a good look at her, she saw exact details of her figure. She was a tall digimon, with a vulptuious woman's figure, covered in soft chestnut coloured fur. Her had long braided red hair which was held with a diamoned adorned hair tie. Her cat-eras were large and black, her face veil a lavender gauze and her head was adorned with a gold tiara with an amethyst in the center. Her arms were covered with black sleeves and decorated with bracelets, opening to clawd hands scattered with rings. Her on her upper body, she wore a red corset style top that cut off above her belly. On her legs, she wor parachute-style pants with a leopard print that tappered below her knees to fim cuffs. Finaly, she sprouted two black tails, bolt which held gold bangels.

"Please" Rhane asked, apprehensive, "can you help us?"

"All things will be mended in time young one" Came her reply, as she shifted the gauze door-hangings.

Rhane stepped forward into the tent, followed closely by Talimon and Matt. The air was misty with incense, and stifling hot. "Please" coughed Matt, "can we open a window?"

"No" was their hostess's curt reply, as she sat at a table set with a crystal ball, tarot cards and sticks of incense. "Rhane" her voice was faint, "Sit"

Rhane obliged and Bastemon's eyes seemed to role back on her head "A time for Darkness and Truth shall arise, before the celestial are defeated. Though twelve you know, thirteen there are. When all seems lost, crystals will shine, and the time for the thrice-armored shall come. Beware the snake, for he is most powerful. Beware…" her voice trialed off and she slunk into a coma-state. As Rhane began to rise, Bastemon awakened again, "To save what need be saved, thirteen must become celestials, but stars may become dark. Beware." She fainted again, and this time, when Rhane rose, their hostess did not awake.

XanglequeenX I hope you got the email I sent as a reply to to your question, for everyones information, there arnt really any perminetnt pairings, but some should be made cleaer in this chapter.

JyouraKoumi Thnx… I think ;

Whatsiee thanks!


	3. Inking It

A/N: Here's Chapter 3, _Inking It._ Sorry for the delay, I just started back into my junior year and was busy working, so I didn't write as much as I wanted to. Updates will take longer now – Sorry!

Chapter 3

Inking It

Rhane obliged and Bastemon's eyes seemed to role back on her head "A time for Darkness and Truth shall arise, before the celestial are defeated. Though twelve you know, thirteen there are. When all seems lost, crystals will shine, and the time for the thrice-armored shall come. Beware the snake, for he is most powerful. Beware…" her voice trialed off and she slunk into a coma-state. As Rhane began to rise, Bastemon awakened again, "To save what need be saved, and thirteen must become celestials, but stars may become dark. Beware."

"so, what do you think it all means?" asked Matt as he walked Rhane home.

"I don't know" She shook her head, "What did she say?.. something about crystals? And 13 enemies… oh! The time for darkness and truth!"

"She said the storm has come and will arise at will" Tlimon said.

"No she didn't…" Matt said

"She did! I heard her!" Talimon insisted, "She spoke to me… in my head"

"Do you think…" Ventured Rhane, "She means the crests? Like, that Digi-egg had the crest of Storms?"

"I'll run it by Izzy" Matt assured her.

Rhane realized they had reached Sora's house. "Thank you Matt" She blushed, "Good night" Rhane stood on tip-toe to give him a chaste kiss on the cheek, before disappearing through the door.

"Good night" Matt said to the closed door, as he stod in the porch light for long minutes.

"I'm home" Rhane sing-songed as she closed the door behind her and removed her shoes, "Sora? Mimi?" she called to empty walls

"In here!" Came Mimi's voice from her room.

"Shh!" She heard Sora hush too late

Rhane pushed through Mimi's door, "Something weird happened" She prompted, plopping down on the bed beside her friend and her cousin

"What?" Mimi asked intrigued

"Yeah, What?" Sora asked coldly

"Well…" Rhane settled in and retold the events o the past few hours. "And she said something about… a time for darkness, and about 13 enemies, how 12 are known, but the 13th, the most powerful is 'true but unseen.' Then she mentioned crystals, and how 13 must become celestials… but they can be shadowed" She finished, recounting bits and pieces of the prophesy.

"You said CelestScorpiomon?" Asked Mimi, Rhane nodded in reply, "Then I'll bet my whole wardrobe you tangle with a Leomon, no matter what prefix" she crossed her arms defiantly and Sora and Rhane gaped. Mimi had a lot of clothes, a lot of nice ones at that, for her to give them up in such a way, she would have to be positive.

"Why…" Rhane asked

"Western Zodiac" Mimi prompted the girl on her favorite subject.

Obediently, Rhane recited, "Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus and Gemini are the twelve quadrants of the sky" she took a breath, "Each has its own traits, and a planetary representation."

"So your saying these digimon come from Astrology?" Sora scoffed, "Whatever"

"What if we run it by Izzy?" Rhane saked, suggesting the same thing Matt had.

"I'll call him" Mimi offered sheepishly.

Rhane nodded, "Sora? Do you have a computer around here?" she wanted to know

"Of course, in my room" Sora told her, obviously

"Thanks" Rhane said, departing.

"Mimi," Sora began when her younger cousin was gone

"Shh!" Mimi hushed, phone to her ear. "Oh, hello Mrs. Izumi, is Izzy there?"

"Just a minute please" came Mrs. Izumi's voice over the phone, "who may I say is calling?"

"It's Mimi, Mimi Tachikawa" she said into the phone.

"one minute" Mrs. Izumi smiled, "Izzy!" she called, having turned from the phone

"Got it!" Came Izzy's voice on the line, "Hello?"

"Hi Izzy" Mimi said cheerfully over the phone

"Mimi?" Izzy said, stuttering slightly, "Hi"

"Izzy, I have a question for you," Mimi said, "Could the Digital world have Digimon from the western zodiac?"

"Yes" Was Izzy's immediate reply, "We met Scorpiomon and Leomon, and don't forget Saggitarimon"

"Yeah! I was right" Mimi smiled. "Rhane and Matt and the other digidestined met a _CelestScorpiomon_"

"Yeah, Matt called a few minutes ago and told me the whole story." Izzy said, "Did you hear the prophasy?"

"Bits and pieces. Do you know the whole thing?" Mimi asked

"Yeah, Matt's cell recorded the thing, and it picked up some static, he said it's Gatomon's message. Here, I wrote it down. Um… _A time for Darkness and Truth shall arise, before the celestial are defeated. Though twelve you know, thirteen there are. When all seems lost, crystals will shine, and the time for the thrice-armored shall come. Beware the snake, for he is most powerful. Beware…_ Gatomon heard, _the storm has come and will arise at will_ and then everyone heard, _To save what need be saved, and thirteen must become celestials, but stars may become dark. Beware._"

"Darkness and truth" Mimi pondered, "could they be the other eggs?"

"Matt thought so too. The Celestials are probably referring to the CelestScorpiomon and other Celest's." Izzy told her as they began to work everything out between themselves.

"The twelve are the western Zodiac, Rhane is looking up a thirteenth." Mimi said

"Ophiuchus, the serpent holder" came a voice she knew as Rhane's

"Ok, number 13 is Ophiuchus, the serpent holder" Mimi recited

"Ophiuchus eh? Hum.. lets see. It's related to a real person, Joseph, a biblical person, and Imhotep, an Egyptian. He was a physician, and it sign should be between Scorpio and Saggitarius. Theres not much on him" Izzy said sadly

"But he's supposed to be a really powerful Digimon" Mimi said

"Yeah" Izzy nodded, "Ok, next part ._When all seems lost, crystals will shine, and the time for the thrice-armored shall come_. Rhane. She's got three armour Digi-eggs."

"But it says when all seems lost, and something about crystals." Mimi reminded him

"Prophasies aren't always in order, she could come first, then all seems lost and crystals shine, or she comes, crystals shine and all is lost." Izzy offered.

"ok, Rhane comes, Talimon has three personal Armour evolutions. The everything will seem lost, They didn't deeat Scorpiomon, right? He was too powerful. Then Crystals… I don't get that part." Mimi said

"So we'll skip it" Izzy offered kindly. "Next its telling us Ophiuchus is the most powerfull, so he's probably the leader, and to be weary of him. But than she said _To save what need be saved, and thirteen must become celestials, but stars may become dark_ and _beware_ again.

"Mimi! Get off the phone!" Sora demanded, "I have to pay the bill for my line!"

"Gotta go Izzy" Mimi told him

"Bye" came a saad reply

"Izzy? Wanna meet for supper tomorrow? Get caught up?" Offered Mimi kindly

"Sure!" Was the enthusiastic reply as they said their good-byes and hung up the phone.

"Guess what!" Said Mimi in excitement as she turned to Sora

"Your going on a dinner date with Izzy tomorrow" recited Sora and Rhane, as the younger girl came into the room

"How did you… Oh! Right" Mimi said, blushing, forgetting that to have a telephone conversation was to speak aloud for all to here. "Anyways…" She said, changing the subject, "Is there going to be a second date Rhane?" she dug for answeres, ignoring Sora's furry.

"I don't know" came Rhane's honest reply, "He's absolutely stunning, but I don't think he likes me very much, I mean, I pretty much ruined the WHOLE evening" she hung her head as though shamed

"Um, hello!" came Sora's voice, "Sitting right here!"

"Sorry" Rhane appologised, "Matt told me what happened"

"He WHAT!" Sora was apparently furious, Rhane blinked at her, unable to determine the reasoning for such furries.

"He… told… me… about… what… happened… between… you… two" Rhane repeated slowly

"I heard you the first time" Sora's voice was venomous, "But how could he? That was _private_" She emphasized

"I knew, So did Tai and Kari and TK, and Davis, Yolie, Ken, Cody, Izzy and Joe" Mimi ticked the names of her fingers.

"Some friends" said Sora under her breath.

"He had his reasons, and they were good ones" Rhane persisted, defending the everadorable Matt

"He was two-timing me!" Sora raged

"Whoa, back up!" Rhane's eyes widen in shock, "He TWO TIMED YOU?"

"Yeah, I thought you said he told you" Sora rolled her eyes, silently cursing herself

"He said he dumped you because Tai was so into you!" Rhane said

"Oh he dumped me alright, for Nariko Sitzuma" Sora fumed

"But Tai is really into you" Mimi old her truthfully, "He's way deper than head over heels"

"I know" Sora sighed, "That's why we went to lunch yester day."

"Good for you!" Mimi cheered her friend.

"Look, Sora, I'm really sorry, if I had of… That _JERK_!" Rhane shook her head, "I had no idea! Oh my god!" she still couldn't get over the fact. "You know what? We should have a Girls Day Out tomorrow? Hit the Spa, the parlor…" She gave her cousin a smile

"That might just be an idea" Mimi smiled, tilting her head and tapping her chin, deep in thought, "Sora, whay do you say to inviting Kari and Yolie over tonight? So we can get an early start tomorrow? I _think_ my spa membership is still good"

"Sure, My parents wont mind, I'll give them a call now" Sora said leaving the room

Turning to Rhane suddenly, with a mischievous glint in her own eye, Mimi demanded, "So whats this about a parlor?"

"You'll see tomorrow, right now, I have to book us in. We'll stop by there first, then go to the Spa, and go back after we've relaxed the others, I've got a few pictures in mind"

"You mean OTHER than our stars?" Mimi asked reffering to the art the two had gotten back in New York.

"Other than our stars, but the parlors in the same chain, _and_ I've go connections." Rhane tuned to the door, "DON'T tell Sora, she'll flip" Rhane sauntered out the door and to her own room, to give this 'parlor' she'd spoken so much of a call.

Short minutes later, she could heard having a involved discussion over the phone. "Yup, with Jason, five of us, starting at about four o'clock. Personal designs, don't worry, he knows me, he's done this sort of art before." She paused, "You open at eight, right?" She asked, "We'll come in shortly after to discuss it with him. Thanks. Oh, sorry, put them all under the name Rhane, he'll know. If he asks, tell him it's Silver Star. Ok, thank you. Good Bye" she flipped her pone of and returned to Mimi's room.

"Silver Star? It's Jay then?" She inquired, eyebrow raised.

"Stop eavesdropping and book us at your Spa missy!" Rhane tossed her the phone, jus as Sora came in.

"They'll be here soon, I'm going to pick out some movies, anyone want to help?"

"Why don't I get us some food?" Rhane asked

"Yolie's family runs a grocery store, she's bringing it" Sora told her cousin

"Ok, I'll help with the movies, then I want you opinion"

"Ok" Sora said, "The movies are in here" she led Rhane into the family room, which hosted a 48" swiveling flat screen TV and an amazeing sound system

"Nice" Rhane brathed as she pounced on the movies. There final picks came out to four movies, a comedy: Monty Python, Quest for the Holy Grail. a musical: Sound of Music. An action/adventure: Lord of the Rings, Return of the King. And a Chick-Flick: All You've Got.

"Good picks!" came Mimi's voice from above their heads. "Were booked in from 9:30 untill 3:30, so we've got six hours, then Rhane booked us at the Parlor for about 4."

"But we've got to go in the morning, by 8:30 to confirm and put in a deposit and to show them what we want"

"Why?" Sora asked, puzzled

"Later" Rhane brushed it off as the doorbell rang.

"Sora…" Sing-songed Mimi, as Sora rose to greet her guests, "You have visitors…"

"Really? I never would have guessed" Sora mumbled under her breath.

"Mimi, what do you think?" Rhane asked. She'd pulled out her sketchbook, with five new pages. The first was a green tear-drop with a colorless ring around a green dott in the middle, in kanji under it, she's written 'Sincerity.'

"My crest" Sighed Mimi, tears in her eyes

The next page was an un-finished heart, the half-done side was filled in in resemblance of the Sincerity crest, this one was pink, the kanji beneath it read 'Love.' Third was an eight-point star with a circle in the middle, it was a mauve colour and it's kanji read 'light'. Fourth was an over-lapment of Sincerity and Love, inter-locking at the ring-and-circle part, this was a Dark red. It's kanji read 'Passionatly Sincere' and was written half above, half below. The final one was a bit of a triangle. The bottom left corner was a six-point star with a circle for the cent. The right corner a spiral, the top was the sign (- tilted 90 degrease so it stood on the curve. in the center was a small star, silver of course.

"The top one is upside down" Mimi pointed out

"I like it, and I to artistic license" Rhane shot back. Pointing at the Kanji, she read, "Truthfully, Shadow's Tempest."

"Pretty" Mimi smiled, before she was 'glomped' from behind "Hi Yolie" She stifled a giggled as the girl tightened her arms around Mimi's neck.

"Hi Rhane!" Yolie smiled from over Mimi's shoulder

"Hi" Rhane smiled back. She glanced at Kari, and saw hate cross the girls face. "Kari?" She asked tentatively, "May I speak with you? Alone?" She glanced at the others

"Fine" huffed the normally quiet and happy girl as Rhane lead her to the rooms she'd been given for the summer.

"Look, Kari, about earlier, I'm really sorry" Rhane hung her head as she felt tears sting her eyes, "I mean, your digimon, they looked so… strong" She'd stopped herself from saying ragged, "But things didn't seem to be going well, or as well as they should have been" her voice was a whisper, "Than Bastemon told me what to do, and Talimon armor digi-volved, I was so happy, I could finally be part of something, all I wanted was to help you." Then, launching into an explanation, she began, "I'm sorry I snapped at you. I have a bit of a temper problem; I don't like people getting all up on me…"

"Up on you?" Kari asked quizzically

"It's an expression back home" Rhane smiled, Kari had calmed down, "It means someone getting mad and in-your-face, do you understand?"

"I do" Kari nodded, "And I forgive you. And, on the topic, I guess I should thank you" Kari smiled at Rhane, "Since you came, Davis doesn't fawn over me as much" She giggled.

"Like I need anyone else after me" Rhane said sarcastically

"What that in your hand?" Kari asked, pointing to the still open sketch-book

"My sketch book" Rhane began to close it

"May I see?" Kari asked, Rhane nodded, hesitantly handing the book over. "These are good" Kari complimented, flipping through the book, "What's this? Sincerity, Love, Light… these are our crests" She looked up, "But why did you draw them out, then write what they were in Kanji?" she wanted to know

"For tomorrow" Rhane hesitated, "We're going to a parlor after the spa, and Jay wants to know the pictures I've done for this trip."

"Parlor?" Kari hesitated, "Its not a beauty parlor, if were going to the spa, but a…" She dropped her voice at Rhane's wild-eyed look, "_Tattoo_ parlor!"

"Yeah" Rhane nodded, "We're going to the Crescent Moon Parlor. Jason's doing our Ink" she said matter-of-factly

"Ok" Kari gulped, putting on a brave face, "This will surprise Tai and Davis. Maybe they'll stop thinking of me as sweet and innocent Kari"

"As if" Rhane smiled at her new-found friend, "What do you think Sora and Yolie will say?"

"You mean they don't know?" Kari asked, surprised

"Mimi guesses when she over heard me on the phone. Jay, our artist, knows me as silver star, because of this" she lifted the left side of her shirt up to reveal a Silver star with the Greek symbol of Libra, done in black. "She's got the same one, but her star is gold." Rhane informed Kari, lowering the front of her shirt. The tattoo was relatively small, resting to the left side and slightly below her navel.

"Its nice" Kari nodded in approval, "Yolie will go along with it if Mimi's going through, and Sora will go only because she dosen't want to be left out." Kari smiled, "Where are you getting it?" she wanted to know

"the small of my back, but its going to be pretty big" Rhane said, indicateing one of the pages Kari hadn't looked at, showing her three crests and her signarture star.

"I take it that's your latest signature?" Kari giggle, seeing the star

"Of course" Rhane replyed, "Now we should probably go back before they think one of us is dead…" Rhane trailed off, leading Kari back downstairs to be greated by the smell of popcorn and the sound of the Lord of the Rings menu screen

"Play it!" Commanded Rhane, suppressing her giggle as they enterd the room. Dropping side-by-side on the couch

"I take it things went well?" Mimi said

"Of course, and Kari's psyched for the parlor tomorrow" Rhane said, smiling at the shocked look on Mimi's face as they settled into the three-and-some hours of Lord of the Rings, followed by another batch of popcorn and 100-some minutes of Monty Python, then more popcorn and a few cans of pop as well as All You've Got, another round of Pop and Popcorn and finishing with three hours for Sound of Music around four in the morning, but noone really noticed, seeing as they'd fallen asleep less than half way through. It was a good movie, but they were exhausted.

When they were awoken at 7:30 that morning, Rhane and Kari, who'd been sleeping on each-others shoulders nearly banged foreheads, Yolie managed to have the top of her head collide with Mimi's chin. Sora, who'd had a couch all to herself, remained unharmed.

"lucky" Rhane mumbled, praising the fact that she had missed kari's head

"Oww!" Whined Yolie, massaging her bruised head, while Mimi clutched her chin.

"Rhane, we need to get ready" Mimi reminded her, "You said we'd stop in at the parlor around 8:00? At least no one needs to shower this morning, and makeup is a waste of time" Mimi said whistle everyone gaped at her

"Speak for yourself girlfriend" Sora quoted

"Therese no point in putting makeup on if we're washing it off in a half hour" Mimi pointed out, "And they have hot springs at the Spa, we'll be fine, just grab a bite then we're gone." Her voice was commanding, and reminded Rhane so much of her Phys Ed. Instructor, se couldn't suppress a giggle.

"Clifton" She gasped out between giggles, and Mimi's eyes widened in shock, she too could not resist giggling, and allowed her self to be overcome.

"Yolie, did you bring any breakfast mixes?" Kari asked, rifling through the fridge.

"Yup, Chocolate, Strawberry and Vanilla" Yolie piped up, pulling a large yellow box from her bag, "Carnation Instant Breakfast Shakes, courtesy of our grocery store, Now, Sora, do you have regular milk?" she turned to the other girl a questioning look in her eye.

"Of couse" came the 'well-duh' reply.

Rhane raced over to Yolie and tore the package from her hands, "Score! I LOVE these things!" She cheered, "Sora, ri out the ice cream and get me a blender, im making breakfast shakes y'all!" she put on a fake country-accent.

Blinking, Sora oblidged, drawing a tub of Vanilla ice cream from her freezer and the blender from a cabinet beside the sink. Rhane took the milk from the fridge.

"Who wants what?" She asked, opening the bok of 4 Vanilla, 4 Chocolate and 2 Strawberry drink mixes.

"Vanilla!" called Kari

"Chocolate!" cried Sora and Yolie in unison

"Strawberry for Mimi and Vanilla for me" Rhane muttered, filling the blender with 4 cups worth of ice-cream, 2 packets of the Vanilla shake, and colvering it in milk. After blending the drink, she grabed two large plastic cups and filled them with the mix, passing one to Kari, she repeated the procedure with the other Vanilla, then once with the strawberry and twice with the chocolate (after washing the blender that is.) Grabing her first half-finished cup, she went upstairs to her room to change, emerging in a cream belly-halter and brown pants, toping it with a pair of brown flip-flops and accenting jewelry. She then returned to the Kitchen to have her second glass of breakfast, seeing the all the chocolate one were gone and the Strawberry were also missing, as was Kari's second cup.

"What on earth is that?" Demanded Sora from the Kitchen door-way, pointing vaugly in the direction on Rhane's stomach

"My Ink" She replied. "I'm a Libra, and Jay was nice enough to use my own design. Mimi has the exact same one – well, except for the colours." Rhane waved the comment off, Sora wasn't fond of her tattoo, but it didn't matter anyways.

"We're going to be late!" called Mimi, from the front hallway, "Sora, Rhane, lets GO!"

"Coming!" chorused the cousins, racing for the door. Rhane dropped her now-empty cup in the kitchen sink on the way by, and hurried to catch up with Mimi.

_Crescent Moon_. The words with little meaning hung in a bold, silver hand above the door. It was beautiful, a false impression to say the least. The inside was as well kept as the out, clean and tidy, the walls decorated with a multitude of framed photos, each of the three walls had a name atop it, the east wall had the name 'Meka' in bold black lettering, the north bore 'Tyson' and the west, the largest wall, held 'Jason.' Upon closer inspection, each picture was of an ink job one slightly swollen, reddened skin.

"Rhane…" Sora said, turning around, "Where are we" it was a stupid question really, but Rhane answered her none the less

"At the Crescent Moon Parlor, duh" She emphasized.

"And what kind of parlor is the Crescent Moon?" Sora wanted to know

"is that my Star girl?" Came a voice from the back of the shop

"Jay?" Rhane turned in excitement to see a man of 22 with dark brown hair and bright blue eyes, "JAY!"

Jay opened his arms wide and Rhane ran forward to give him a hug.

"Um, two-timing much?" Yolie pointed out with one of her trade-mark blank stares, this causes Mimi to burst into giggles, and Sora to start snickering.

"Jay" Rhane said, breaking the hug, "These are y friends, Yolie and Kair. You've met Mimi, and you should know Sora."

"Hi ladies" Jay gave them a warm smile

"Girls, this is Jay, my brother" Rhane told them, "He's going to be doing some art for us later. Here are the pieces Jay." She handed him her sketch book. Since the night before, she'd included names and colours. Sora's was shaded red-pink, Mimi's was green, Kari's a pale pink, Yolie's purple and her own in grey-scale.

"You can do them?" She asked her brother, at whom Sora still stared in shock,

"Yes" He assured her. "What is it Sora?"

"How long have you been here?" She demanded

"About three years." Was his honest reply

"You never visited" Sora pointed out

"You were never home when I came over." Jay old her with a smile. "Always at some friends house, or the school or even the tennis courts" Jay ticked them off his finger with a smile.

"Wow, either you're a stalker, or you really have come to visit" Sora said with a smile.

"So, I'll see you back around…" Jay started

"Four" Rhane nodded, "You'll do Mimi, then Yolie, then Sora, Kari and finally me"

"Why don't you go first?" Yolie asked suspiciously

"Because, then I cant make sure you all go" She smiled an evil smile, "And Sora needs all the support she can get."

"Don't we need someone to ok this? I mean, most of us are under 16…" Sora said in a desperate attempt.

"But I'm 22, and I can vouch for all of you, especially where I'm too look after Mimi and Rhane while there here, you're my cousin, and the other two are close friends…" Jay gave a smile, "So, at four o'clock- maybe closer to five – you'll be getting your first ink-job Sora" he smiled at his cousin, who smiled weekly in reply.

A/N: Well, a bit of suspense, threw in a pair for you JyouraKoumi! If anyone has pairing requests, post them . Sorry if things are contradictory, I'll try to fix them.

Now, some gravel roads have been paved, but how long will it be before erosion takes hold again?

JyouraKoumi: Hope this gives you the taste your looking for!

Money makes me smile: Aww, thanks so much, that means a lot to me!

XangelqueenX: Here you go.

Thanks everyone for the reviews!


	4. Annoyance of procrastination

AUTHORS NOTE::

To All My Readers::

I would like to sincerely apologize for the idiotic delay in this story. I place the fault on no one but myself. Since my classes started back in September, I've been bogged down, and, up until recently, completely forgot about this fic. I am hoping to post chapter 4 by Feb. 4th as I will have more time to write when my boyfriend started collage and my exams are over.

Thank you for your keen interest, and I will have the net part to you soon!!

Truly, madly, sincerely,

Ember Ice


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